Laid out one by one
by firewaterspaceairearth
Summary: "I didn't know you sang." The clear voice rang through the otherwise silent auditorium. Soft footsteps made their way closer, pausing a few metres away. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me." The other boy sat down next to him on the stage. Bright eyes flashed in the half light, meeting his. "Then tell me."


**If you recognise it, it's not mine.**

* * *

_"You have always worn_

_Your flaws upon your sleeve_

_And I have always buried them_

_Deep beneath the ground-"_

"I didn't know you sang."

The clear voice rang through the otherwise silent auditorium. Soft footsteps made their way closer, pausing a few metres away.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."

The other boy sat down next to him on the stage. Bright eyes flashed in the half light, meeting his.

"Then tell me."

* * *

They sat in silence for a while, before Kurt spoke first.

"My mom died. When I was eight. She had cancer."

"Oh."

"Your turn."

"What do you mean, my turn?"

"I told you something, now you say something back."

Karofsky frowned.

"That's so-"

Kurt's eyes flashed dangerously.

"What? That's so _gay_?"

Karofsky shuffled uncomfortably.

"Fine. I'm...I'm..."

Kurt's face softened slightly, and he reached up to put a hand on the jock's shoulder.

"You're scared. I get that. It isn't easy, and I know you're worried about what people might think. But it's ok. There's nothing wrong with saying who you are-"

"This is not who I am!"

Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"Really? It seemed pretty obvious when you kissed me-"

"Shut up."

"-in a locker room-"

"Shut up!"

"-after years and years of harassment about my sexuality and just about everything else-"

_"Shut the hell up!"_

Suddenly, Karofsky was dragging Kurt across the stage, pinning him to the wall by the throat, fuelled by anger and fear. Kurt spluttered, arms waving feebly.

"You don't know what it's like! Everyone already _knew_, you were so obvious! With me, it's different! You just acted all confident, all smart, and I hated that! I hated you, because..."

His voice trailed off.

"You were brave enough to keep acting like that, even with all the stuff we did to you. I couldn't do that. I was scared that they'd do it...do it to me."

He released his grip on the smaller boy's throat, sinking to the floor, head in his hands. Kurt collapsed to the floor, retching as he gasped for breath.

"I...understand..." he choked out. Karofsky glared at him.

"No, you don't. My dad would hate me if he found out. He was so pleased when I joined football, stayed popular. He doesn't want a...a_ fag_ for a son."

Kurt didn't respond. He just lay there, sprawled on the floor, chest heaving. For a second, Karofsky was afraid he'd actually hurt him, but then he sat up shakily.

"There's nothing wrong with being gay, David."

Karofsky sighed. The smaller boy shuffled closer, elbows just touching.

"Other people seem to think so."

A heavy silence fell, laden with words neither boy said. Karofsky stood up, pacing across the stage.

"I won't tell anybody."

He stopped and looked at Kurt in surprise.

"I won't. It's not my secret."

"Good."

"But if you want help, to talk-"

"No."

"I can help you, David. Me, Blaine, we both understand-"

"Don't you get it? If I come out, my dad hates me, and I'll get harassed. If I don't, then I have to live with a secret I don't want to keep, I don't even want to have. I choose the secret."

"Sing."

"What?"

"You were singing when I came in. Try it again."

Karofsky glared at him.

"Why? It wouldn't do anything. I don't even remember what I was singing."

Kurt shook his head.

"You were singing a song about flaws. Judging by the conversation we've just had, that means something."

"It doesn't. It was on the radio this morning or something."

Kurt stood up.

"Fine."

"What are you-"

_"When all of your flaws_

_And all of my flaws are laid out one by one_

_A wonderful part of the mess that we make_

_We pick ourselves undone_

_All of your flaws and all of my flaws_

_They lie there hand in hand_

_Ones we've inherited_

_Ones we have learned_

_They pass from hand to hand,"_

Kurt stopped, looking at Karofsky expectantly. Grudgingly, the jock muttered the next couple of lines, rolling his eyes as Kurt slipped into an easy harmony.

_"There's a hole, in my soul_

_I can't fill it, I can't fill it_

_There's a hole, in my soul_

_Can you fill it, can you fill it"_

Kurt dropped out, leaving Karofsky singing on his own. The taller boy shot him a dirty look, but for some reason, kept singing.

_"You have always worn_

_Your flaws upon your sleeve_

_And I have always buried them_

_Deep beneath the ground"_

Kurt joined in again.

_"Dig them up_

_Let's finish what we started_

_Dig them up_

_So nothing's left unturned"_

Kurt drifted away, to the edge of the stage. As he walked down the steps, he finished the song quietly and sadly.

_"All of your flaws_

_And all of my flaws_

_Are laid out one by one_

_Look at the wonderful_

_Mess that we made_

_We pick ourselves undone."_

Karofsky stared after him.

"Wait...where are you going?"

Kurt paused at the door.

"Somebody said you were leaving, the afro newspaper kid. Where are you going?"

"Dalton. It's just not safe here."

"What?"

"You threatened to kill me, and I know you're confused, and scared, but-"

"You're _running_."

"You're hiding, David. Just remember, it isn't a crime, it isn't a...a flaw. It's who you are, and do you know what? That's ok."

The door clicked shut behind him, and Karofsky was left sitting alone on the stage. He sat down heavily in the shadows, thoughts shifting round and round his head.

My dad wouldn't want me.

_"My mom's dead."_

Confused. Scared.

_"You're hiding, David."_

Flaws.

He stood up, making his way out of the auditorium, through the halls. He stopped outside the door, reading the plate.

_When all of your flaws_

_And all of my flaws are counted_

He knocked on the door, pushing it open tentatively. The woman at the desk looked up, eyes widening in surprise.

"Hello, David. Is everything alright?"

_When all of your flaws_

_And all of my flaws are counted_

"Miss Pillsbury? Can I talk to you about something?"

* * *

**Song- _Flaws, Bastille_**


End file.
